Stock Market & Financial Investment News

Threshold higher after Ziopharm terminates STS drug developmentThreshold Pharmaceuticals (THLD) shares are trading higher today after rival cancer drug discovery company Ziopharm (ZIOP) terminated its development of palifosfamide. WHAT'S NEW: Earlier today, Ziopharm announced that its Phase 3 trial of palifosfamide for the treatment of metastatic soft tissue sarcoma, or STS, in the first-line setting did not meet its primary endpoint of progression-free survival. Like Ziopharm, Threshold focuses on the discovery and development of cancer therapeutics and is also in the process of evaluating a drug to treat patients with soft tissue sarcoma with its development of TH-302. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Threshold's TH-302 is currently under evaluation in two Phase 3 trials: one in combination with doxorubicin versus doxorubicin alone in patients with soft tissue sarcoma and the other in combination with gemcitabine versus gemcitabine and placebo in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Both Phase 3 trials are being conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. TODAY'S PRICE ACTION: Shares of Threshold Pharmaceuticals are up 11c, or 2.3% to $4.90 in late morning trading. Meanwhile, shares of Ziopharm, which were downgraded by at least four analyst firms after its announcement, plunged 62% to $1.94.

Ziopharm-Intrexon announce collaboration with Merck KGaA for CAR-T productsZIOPHARM Oncology (ZIOP) and Intrexon (XON) announced their oncology programs will be strengthened through Intrexon's new global collaboration focused exclusively on novel chimeric antigen receptor T-cell, or CAR-T, products with Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA (MKGAY). Intrexon will share the economic provisions of this collaboration, including upfront payment, milestones and royalties, equally with ZIOPHARM. Under the collaboration Merck Serono will elect CAR-T targets, two initially, for which it will provide certain research funding. Through its agreement with Intrexon, ZIOPHARM will be responsible for any additional research and development expenditures. Once these candidates reach investigational new drug stage, the programs will be transferred to Merck Serono for clinical development and commercialization. ZIOPHARM and Intrexon will also independently conduct research and development on other CAR-T candidates, with Merck having the opportunity during clinical development to opt-in. ZIOPHARM's other oncology programs will continue through its Exclusive Channel Collaboration with Intrexon.

Ziopharm May volatility elevated at 129 Ziopharm April call option implied volatility is at 123, May is at 129, July is at 106; compared to its 26-week average of 120 according to Track Data, suggesting large April price movement.